Instant Messaging (IM) is a terminal service that allows two or more users to transmit text information and documents and perform audio and video communication in real time over a network. The IM is classified into enterprise IM and website IM according to different purposes, and may also be classified into mobile phone IM and personal computer (PC) IM according to different objects where the IM is installed.
With the continuous development of Internet technologies, text information transmitted in IM is no longer limited to conventional texts. The emoticon language transmitted in IM is a language different from conventional texts. This language uses expressions shown by cartoon pictures to represent information of a corresponding literal expression, for example, a grin on a cartoon picture represents information of the literal expression “grin”, and for another example, the action of laughing while covering the mouth with a hand on a cartoon picture represents information of the literal expression “snicker”. With enhanced aesthetic judgment and more demanding personalized requirement, users are no longer satisfied with the static emoticon language. Therefore, a new language called dynamic emoticon came into being. The dynamic emoticon has a similar function as the emoticon language described above, and is also pictures or icons for expressing feelings and emotions, and the difference lies in that the dynamic emoticon has a dynamic effect.
There are many methods for providing dynamic emoticons for IM clients in the field, and one method provided in the existing technology is to provide a dynamic emoticon package that contains a certain number of dynamic emoticons for a client. When an IM user needs a dynamic emoticon, the user selects a dynamic emoticon from the dynamic emoticon package to express the mood or feeling of the user at the moment.
Although the existing technology described above can provide dynamic emoticons for IM users, the dynamic emoticon package provided by a business includes fixed content and a limited number of emoticons, which limits the personalized requirements of IM users.